The Licensing and General Purposes Committee of Barnet Council met on Thursday 07 November 2024 to discuss the revised licensing policy, the annual health, safety and wellbeing report, and the review of polling districts and polling places. The committee approved the proposed revised licensing policy and recommended its adoption by the full council, and also approved the recommendations for the review of polling districts and polling places, which proposed no changes to current arrangements. Additionally, the committee noted the council's health, safety and wellbeing performance for 2023/24 and agreed priorities for 2025-2027, and reviewed the successful delivery of the May 2024 GLA elections and July 2024 UK Parliamentary General elections.

Revised Licensing Policy 2025-2030

The committee discussed and approved the revised Licensing Policy for 2025-2030. Ash Shah, Service Manager for Trading Standards and Licensing, presented the report, noting that 24 responses were received during the consultation period. Concerns raised included anti-social behaviour associated with cafes, particularly in Vivian Avenue, Hendon, and the proliferation of licensed premises in areas like Burnt Oak.

The committee heard that the Licensing Action Group, comprising responsible authorities, is actively addressing anti-social behaviour and problematic premises. Ash Shah explained that while the Licensing Act 2003 governs licensed premises, issues like drug dealing fall outside its remit. The policy includes a Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) for Burnt Oak, introduced due to evidence of adverse impacts on licensing objectives. This means new applications or variations in this area will be presumed refused unless it can be demonstrated they will not add to the cumulative impact.

Members discussed the low response rate to consultations and the need for broader engagement. Ella Smallcombe, Head of Consumer and Public Protection, assured that concerns would be shared with the communications team to improve future engagement. It was also noted that information on ongoing investigations and problematic premises would be shared with ward councillors. The committee approved the revised policy and recommended its adoption by the full council.

Annual Health, Safety and Wellbeing Report 2023/24

Mike Koumi, Head of Safety, Health and Wellbeing, presented the annual report on the council's health and safety performance. The report highlighted that while overall performance is strong, there was a slight increase in reported incidents, largely due to improved reporting of verbal assaults and near misses. A key concern was an increase in RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) reportable incidents, from four to nine, which is being investigated. However, audit scores showed improvement, with average compliance scores between 89-90%, and a significant increase in staff undertaking mandatory health and safety training, rising from 57% to 77%.

The report identified areas for improvement, including managing work-related stress, preventing musculoskeletal injuries, improving compliance monitoring in community schools, and enhancing workplace wellbeing, particularly psychological safety. The committee agreed to the council's health, safety and wellbeing priorities for 2025 to 2027, which include seeking reductions in days lost due to stress and musculoskeletal injuries, reviewing building compliance monitoring in schools, and implementing actions from the Workplace Wellbeing Action Plan.

Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2024

John Bailey, Head of Electoral Services, presented the report on the statutory five-yearly review of polling districts and polling places. He noted that interim annual reviews have been conducted since 2014. The review concluded that no changes were proposed for current polling arrangements across the borough, despite some representations received.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Caroline Stock regarding the use of Millbrook Park Primary School as a polling station, citing parking issues and inconvenience for residents. While Frith Manor School was suggested as an alternative, assessments indicated that 89% of electors in the polling district live closer to Millbrook School. Therefore, it was decided that changing the venue would disadvantage more people than it would benefit. The committee approved the recommendation to make no changes to current polling districts and polling places and to continue with annual interim reviews.

GLA Election May 2024 and UKPG Election July 2024 - Election Projects Review

John Bailey, Head of Electoral Services, presented a review of the electoral projects for the GLA elections in May 2024 and the UK Parliamentary General (UKPG) election in July 2024. The report highlighted the significant challenges faced, including the introduction of new requirements under the Elections Act 2022, such as Voter ID and new postal vote handling rules, and the logistical complexities of holding two major elections in quick succession.

Despite these challenges, the report concluded that the delivery of all electoral processes ran smoothly across Barnet without major issues. While there were some isolated reports of late postal vote deliveries, robust processes were in place for re-issues. The GLA elections were notable for being the first to use a manual count, which was successfully managed in collaboration with Camden. The UKPG elections faced a late change of count venue to the RAF Museum, and the Hendon constituency election result was the closest in the country, decided by just 15 votes. The report commended the Electoral Services team for their adaptability and resilience. The committee noted the review report.

Committee Forward Work Programme

The committee noted the forward work programme, which included upcoming items such as an Electoral Services update, the Annual Licensing Report, and the review of the Explosives/Fireworks Licence Policy.

The meeting concluded at 7:46 pm.